This week, the annual convention of the Union of B.C. Municipalities is taking place in Vancouver. The convention, which runs from Sept. 16-20, brings together representatives from municipalities and regional districts across the province to discuss issues which are important both to local governments and to our provincial government.
I’ll be spending this week in Vancouver attending several meetings with representatives from the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District, along with several ministers, to discuss a wide variety of topics.
One of the meetings I am most looking forward to is with Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes, councillors from the City of Williams Lake, and Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett, to talk about the Prosperity Mine. As you all know, I have been pushing for this project to go forward for quite some time. The Prosperity Mine would bring many benefits to the Cariboo, and is essential for the economic future of our region. At UBCM I’ll be working to get my colleagues on board. This topic, along with several others, will also be on the agenda for a meeting with the City of Williams Lake, the Premier, and several ministers.
In total, I’ll have eight meetings with representatives from Williams Lake. Together, we’ll be meeting with Minister of Health Terry Lake to discuss the re-development of Cariboo Memorial Hospital; with Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation John Rustad to talk about reconciliation and skills training programs at TRU; with Minister of Forests, Land and Natural Resource operations Steve Thomson to discuss several projects and issues, including the Williams Lake Community Forest and the Mid-Term Timber Supply; with Minister of Justice and Attorney General Suzanne Anton to discuss the RCMP ‘E’ Division and crime reduction statistics; and with Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Shirley Bond to discuss skills training at TRU and progress on the Cariboo Chilcotin Beetle Action Coalition.
Donna Barnett is the Liberal MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin.